Gold
by Healer Kira
Summary: THey never last, but he's hoping this one will. One-shot! LuigiXPeasley, Rose.


The wind was a rake, clawing and scratching against the walls of the feeble hut they had taken shelter in. Luigi shivered in his wet clothes. A bone-chilling cold infested this cabin, a kind of chill that made your insides feel empty.

He absolutely hated it.

A flickering light abruptly brightened the room, chasing away the shadows, and Luigi relaxed.

Mario smiled. "See, I told you I would do it." He said, settling back cross-legged in front of the fireplace. "It just took a bit of patience, that's all. Come on," He beckoned. Luigi hesitated, then dragged him and his pack closer to the flames, sitting beside his brother.

"…I never doubted you." He said quietly. The fire felt amazingly warm.

The rain had come swift and hard, catching them off guard, and before long, they'd been freezing and soaked. It was lucky they'd been able to find this place; although it looked near to falling apart, it was dry, at least.

He looked down at his dripping pack, now aware that it was soaking into the denim of his overalls.

"Is there anything good left?" Mario asked. Luigi shrugged in response, opening his bag. He grimaced.

"I don't think so, " he said, tossing aside a handful of the slimy mush that was Refreshing Herbs. He dug deeper. More wet soaked into the fingertips of his gloves. "The rain ruined everything that wasn't covered."

He had only put the Super Mushroom's and 1-up 's in plastic bags, and as a result, they were the only things not soggy from the rain. Luigi winced at the mental list running through his mind.

After a few minutes, the pile next to him grew to contain nearly all of their supplies. Mario scooped up the slushy mess and tossed it in the fire.

"Told you we should have kept the suitcase." Mario said, glancing at Luigi.

"Well, if you're willing to carry that bulky thing around all day, then we'll go get it back." Luigi replied, looking through the bag's multiple pockets. He finally pulled out a slightly damp roll of paper. Pushing the pack to the side, he unrolled it and pressed it out against the worn floorboards.

The ink was slightly blurred, but the map was still relatively undamaged. Luigi traced out their journey with his finger.

"I think we're between Teehee valley and BeanBean Town… If the rain lightens up any, we can make it to BeanBean without getting too soaked."

Mario nodded. "Sounds like a plan." He glanced to the door, the sound of rain and wind clearly audible. "We might be stuck here all night though, with the way it's sounding out there."

Luigi sighed, and rolled the map up, laying it beside him as he set the bag put to dry by the flames. "Great." Luigi leaned back, putting his hands behind his head. He stared miserably at the ceiling.

Mario smiled at his younger brother's childishness, then turned away to look at the flickering flames in the hearth, leaning his shoulder against the wall. At few minutes later he glanced over again- Luigi's eyes were closed. That sharp, tired look he usually sported was gone, replaced by something smoother.

He smiled.

As he turned to look at the flames again, something caught his eye; a gold rose, peeking from the front overall pocket.

He stared at it, confused.

"Luigi?" He said .

Luigi murmured in response, cracking his eyelids open slightly.

Reaching forward, he tugged on the rose gently, and Luigi was up in a second, moving out of his brother's reach.

"Didn't Peasley give you that?" He asked casually.. "Back on HooHoo Mountain, right?"

"Yeah." Luigi said, folding his arms and doing his best to look angry,"What's wrong with it?"

"Why do you still have it?" Mario said, meeting his eyes squarely. "You told him you didn't like flowers- they never last."

There was awareness in his eyes.

Luigi swallowed."…B-because."

He cursed his voice for cracking.

Mario looked back at the rose. Although days had past, it looked fresh as ever, its gold surface glittering softly in the flickering light. Luigi fiddled with the flower nervously.(securing it in the denim pocket.)

"This one will." Luigi offered quietly." I hope."

Mario sighed.

"Prince Peasley, huh." He said under his breath, his eyes razing the small yellow rose.

Luigi didn't say anything.

A few moments past. Mario finally turned back to the fire.

"Don't be getting yourself into things you can't it out of, alright? I don't want you getting hurt." He said, not looking at his brother.

Luigi nodded. "Y…yeah."

He rubbed the flawless stem of the rose under his thumb and looked down, not daring to glance at his brother, at the striking gilded petals. It looked hand-made, as if a fine craftian had spent hours making it flawless.

A small smile crept on his face.

Tucking the rose back into his front pocket, he laid back down. Neither of the brothers slept that night. When the next morning dawned bright and handsome, they travelled in silence.

_OoO_

_...Truthfully, the only reason this got to see the light of day was because of a brilliant beta: Driftstar-Leader of Treeclan._

_Seriously guys. SHe has a much better grasp on everything writing than I do. I wish I could catch as much stuff as she does... _

_GO checl out her stories! I mean, are you seriously so lazy you won't even go type a name into the search box...?_

_...There's amazing stories involved. I swear. Just go check her out!_


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